The Mother Wolf
by GravityNeko
Summary: Set after the poem "Darkness Falls". Toboe enters the other world and meets up with the Mother Wolf. One-shot. (COMPLETED!)


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Disclaimer: UGH! The tedious part of this. Why do I even have to say it? Everyone should know I don't own Wolf's Rain. AH! Damn it! I just went ahead and... Ah, never mind! ::laughs:: Anyway, ignore me and enjoy! **

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Toboe roused slowly from his endless sleep. He winced at the pain that had been dealt upon him in his former life. He looked around, gazing at the endless fields of green around him; rolling hillsides and beautiful flowers popping up all around. The young wolf pushed himself to his feet, steadying himself as he swayed slightly. He could still feel the hurt. He shook his head, brown-orangish fur ruffling.

He staggered a bit more at first, but slowly gained a steady paw. As he walked more the stronger he became and felt. Toboe brightened. _This life was good! Not full of pain like the old one...._ The wolf strutted up the hillside. He snuffed in the smell of wonderful life around him. _Wonderful! _He looked around. He had always dreamed to find a place like this. A place where a wolf could run free without the fear of careless man.

He frowned. What had man known? The wolves had been there way before man. Hadn't it been said in the Book of Red Moon, that man was messenger to the wolves. A tool. A servant. Man was stupid!

His tongue lolled out. The wolves had set out to find a place such as this in the beginning. A place where only wolves could go. Paradise... His heart saddened. The wolves in the end had never found Paradise. Not officially of course. Fate had been too cruel for that. He had died before he could reach Paradise; that wretched man-wolf had obstructed him from his heritage and right!

Then the others had followed.

His heart sagged further. Somehow even in his own death; he'd known—felt—the passing of his pack members. Felt their pain as they slowly died the way he had. It was a very painful feeling, and Toboe could not help but howl mournfully as his compatriots—his friends—took their last.

First, had been Blue. She was bloody and tired of the fight. No longer fit for life. Only death...

Next, had gone Hige. His throat ferociously ripped out by Darcia. He lay dying and in pain. That was until Tsume had been gracious enough to end it for him..... _"Please, Tsume...." Hige murmured_. _"I'm in pain."_

Finally...Tsume. The older wolf had also been tired from fighting the wretched Darcia. Bloody like Blue & Hige. Too much blood lost... He didn't have a chance in hell.

Toboe stumbled, slamming to his knees at these thoughts. Pain welled up in heart. _TSUME! HIGE! BLUE!_

And someone he would never see again....

_Kiba..._

He shook his big head. Someday he would see them all again. Someday. He howled mournfully once more, a wave of sadness taking over him.

The land around him, unknown to Tobeo, became hazy. And through the haze a voice said,

_"Come to me, Toboe."_

_"Huh?"_ He lifted his head up, trying to see through the haze.

_"Come to me, sweet Toboe!"_

He searched for where the voice might be coming from.

"_Come to me and know peace...."_

The young wolf got up, entranced by the voice. He got firm ground underneath his paws and started into a trot. He was intent to find from whence the voice came from. And to whom it belonged to.

_Where could that voice be coming from? _

He ran on.

The tan wolf had been running for sometime, and it seemed he was getting no closer to the voice he heard before. Toboe sighed his wolf's sigh disgustedly. _This isn't working, Toboe... You must've been hearing things. _Feeling distraught the pup began to whimper, fearing he was to be left alone in this place for all eternity.

_Get up, young one! A voice spoke in his head. You are nearly there. Don't give up. _

Toboe groaned. He didn't want to go any farther. This was much too hard for one pup to bear. He whimpered. He didn't want to be alone... Suddenly, the haze that had taken over earlier disappeared, leaving him looking down on what looked to be the glade of a large valley.

He stopped his _crying _and gaped at the sight he beheld. It seemed to come from no where. Or maybe was from a little wolf's bed-time story book.

A great white wolf stood on top of a sun drenched green hill. She stood proudly, her head raised. In her he saw someone to be respected. A leader. She had the most striking golden eyes that pierced through all the white fur. _She's-she's beautiful_. Toboe.thougt_. Almost like his own mother....._

Around her, at the base of the hill lay a horde of wolves, bowing in subservience to their leader. _Is this her pack? I've never seen one so big! _There must've been at least twenty wolves! He looked around. The count didn't stop there. Beyond the hill, more wolves of every color, age, and gender congregated. _Wow! More wolves! _His heart and tail thumped happily. This was more wolves than Toboe had seen in a lifetime!

"_Come."_

His head jerked, the fur rising on his back. _Huh? _He looked to the great white wolf. "_Who me?"_

"_Yes, you. Come to me, Toboe." _She stepped forward on one giant paw. She was the biggest wolf Toboe had ever met.

The young pup hesitated.

"_Do not be fearful, young one." _She took further steps down the hill, the wolves at the base rising and parting to make a path for her. _"Come."_

"_Who...who are you?"_

"_I am the One who calls all the wolves Home." _

"_The One?" _Toboe cocked his head, confused.

The she-wolf approached closer, gliding her way through the throng of wolves. He watched as they seem to bow as she passed. Yes, this was one they respected. Toboe watched her golden eyes, and was drawn closer to her of his own volition. His feet moved him slowly, approaching cautiously. How did a pup so insignificant approach a wolf so obviously great? The younger one stopped three feet from her.

He lowered his head submissively, giving a slight whine.

The greater wolf answered with a low sound between a howl and a whine.

Toboe gave a start. She wishes for me to look her in the eye?! He still kept his head down. He was aware of what an honor it was that she should acknowledge him.

He whined again. _"What is it you wish of this lowly wolf pup?"_

"_Look to my eyes, Toboe. You need not lower your head for anyone. You are a great wolf!" _

He gave a second start. _"No I'm-"_ He started to protest.

"_Yes! You are!"_

He looked up into her eyes at this.

"_Never deny that this is not true, Toboe." _She came closer. _"You gave your life to protect and shelter that human." _He swore he saw her smile. _"You could never be a more valiant and great wolf because of that..." _

He didn't know what to say.

"_Be proud of that! You have done great, my pup!"_

"_I..." _

"_I said, you are great! Look up and hold your noble wolf's head high!" _

He timidly raised his head once more, staring her dead in the eye. _I'm great! _

He bared his fangs in determination. _I'm great... I AM GREAT! _He then let out a lusty wolf-bark.

The great white seemed to smile benignly in approval. Her golden eyes shone brilliantly.

She turned her head, _"Look yonder, young pup. Look and see what glory awaits you!"_

Toboe turned his head in her direction but couldn't seem to make out what she was referring to.

"_What? Where? I can't see..."_

"_Over yonder. By the creek. Your friends await you, young Toboe. Join them." _

The pup's ear perked at the word friends. _Friends? As in..._ He then spotted three wolves by the creek she spoke of; a black, a white, and a brown. _"Tsume! Blue! Hige!"_ He raced onward without a backward glance, tongue lolling out his mouth. He must've looked like a stupid pup, but he didn't care—he had his friends again.

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Tsume looked up at the sound of the voce. _I must be hearing things._ _"It can't be..."_

"_Tsume!" _Pant, pant. _"Tsume, it's me!"_

Hige looked to, eyes wide. _"You weren't mistaken."_

"_It's Toboe." _Blue added in.

The white wolf looked reassured. _"Toboe...?" _He watched as the bounding pile a fur came full throttle at him.

"_TSUME!" _The pup launched himself onto the older wolf.

The weight of the young scrawny thing hit him full and it took Tsume a while to recover. _"Oh, Tsume!" _He looked down. There sat Toboe, looking as scrawny as the day he'd tagged along. _Toboe..._

Tsume stared at him for a moment. _"It is you, isn't Toboe. Isn't it, pup?"_

Hige and Bllue grinned at the scene un-folding.

_"Welcome, Toboe, scrawny pup. We-I've missed you..." _

A shadow fell over the group.

_"You're not the only one." _A tough voice interjected.

All four wolves turned to witness a fifth wolf, standing on the crest above them, his fur haloed by the bright sun. No could mistake him; they all knew.

"_KIBA!"_

The wolves howled joyously at this happy reunion.

Toboe laughed. He felt good. He was with his pack again. His friends.

_Let nothing **ever** separate us again!_

The pup looked back toward the hill and watched the great white wolf gaze him with grin and dancing eyes.

He felt warm at this.

"_Thank you, Great One."_

"_I am the Mother Wolf, I always protect my children."_

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**TA DA!**

**A/N: FIN! Well, that's done! ::smiles:: I very much enjoyed writing this story. It gave me a rocky start but I brought it home.... Just the way Toboe was in the end. : ) **


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